Refurbishing Manors, Stolen Coins, and other Errands
Our party awoke from their rest after dealing with Tibalt's Demons feeling well rested. Setting aside the events of last night, the party started in on their to-do list around town.
Gundren and Nundro Rockseer had hit hard times. After a hard night drinking, Nundro realized his coinpurse was gone and with it, all of their money (something between 500 and 800gp in value). Gundren's ordeal with the goblins left him with essentially nothing and the help of Sildar was running out. The party tracked the coinpurse to a group of thugs camped outside the carnival grounds.
One in particular named Podger seemed to be a new recruit to the Zhentarim mercenaries who escorted the caravan. He claimed Nundro gave him the pouch and his buddies backed him up. The party decided not to resort to a brawl in this matter and left for now.
Next stop was the newly established Phandalin Trust and Loan. Run by the now-deposed townmaster Harbin Wester, the PTL is intended to be a place where established members of the town (successful prospectors, mine owners, etc) can invest their money in the newcomers to the town. There were a few newcomers in town taking out loans to get their new lives started. Harbin seemed ... less than pleased by the party's presence in his shop but he was courteous nonetheless. He explained that they could take out a loan of anywhere from 500gp to 3000gp with interest rates ranging from 5% to 10% depending on the payment plan.
The party stopped by townmaster's hall and reported Podger to Edermath and Sildar. They both highly doubted his claim that it was a gift but weren't sure they had the clout to get the coinpurse back.
Edermath explained something bothering him about the town's state given the recent news of fire giant attacks being on the upswing. "We don't have anywhere that the townspeople can flee to to weather an attack we cannot defend from." With the party's input and bankroll it was decided to renovate the dilapidated Tresendar Manor into a fortification that could be defended against such an attack. "1500gp now, 1500gp later should do the trick, barring anything unforeseen. Since you bankrolled it, technically you'll be the owners of the new Tresendar Keep. It should be done by the end of winter."
Sildar also explained that work on Phagmaw outpost was coming along nicely and should be done about then as well.
Mirna Dendrar (the woodworker's widow) was found to have repaired the party's wagon in the week or so that has passed since it returned without them. The new woodcutter expressed some lack of confidence in her ability but Stuu found her work quite serviceable. She expressed the desire for Stuu to show her some things about woodworking if or when he has time.
Moving on to Adabra's newly opened herbalism and alchemy shop, the players found Adabra happily working on some concoction or another as they entered. She delightedly showed off what she called an "Oblex Symbiont".
Explaining that the ooze they left with Sister Garaele was actually a sentient creature capable of communication, she was able to convince it not to harm people and instead found it to be a very useful ally with regard to storing and remembering information. It also has granted her access to a few low-level psionic abilities.
Stuu, Hada, and Rovu all applied their own Oblex Symbionts and were delighted to find that they could communicate telepathically within 120ft of eachother. Thorrfig held out, but took the vial for later use. The party bought a few Greater Healing Potions and sold Adabra the Alpha Cockatrice parts they had harvested.
The party then met up with their pal Kronk and shared the news of their travels. Kronk and the Alderleaf family were doing well and Kronk was maybe a little jealous but happy in his retirement.
Moving on to Halia Thornton's Miner's Exchange, the party managed to buy a bit of Gemstone dust for Hada's alchemical weapon oils and two new elemental gemstones for the Gemwork Crossbow. Halia said she had a pretty substantial stock of gemstones come through her shop, including some very high carat ones.
Back towards the middle of town, a group of some 25-30 dwarves had just arrived in town. Thorrfig recognized many of them as having served with his father in retaking Gauntlgrym. They greeted the Rockseer Brothers as old family, and explained that they were here to help reclaim the Phandelver's Pact mines. Among them, a humbly dressed man explained that he was sent by Dumathoin's bidding. He suggested that tonight they commemorate the fallen Tharden, and tomorrow they attempt to call his soul back from beyond the grave.